Females often receive autism spectrum condition diagnoses later than males, leaving needs misunderstood. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of female adults diagnosed with an autism ...spectrum condition in middle to late adulthood. Eleven autistic females diagnosed over the age of 40 years completed semi-structured interviews, analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four superordinate themes emerged: A hidden condition (pretending to be normal and fitting in; mental health and mislabelling), The process of acceptance (initial reactions and search for understanding; re-living life through a new lens), The impact of others post-diagnosis (initial reactions; stereotyped assumptions), and A new identity on the autism spectrum (negotiating relationships, connections and community; changing well-being and views of the self; the meaning of diagnosis). Findings highlight several factors not previously identified that affect late diagnosis in females, including widespread limited understandings of others. Diagnosis was experienced by several participants as facilitating transition from being self-critical to self-compassionate, coupled with an increased sense of agency. Participants experienced a change in identity that enabled greater acceptance and understanding of the self. However, this was painful to adjust to at such a late stage.
Foreign language learning has been found effective in helping older people improve cognitive functioning and provide opportunities at psychological and social levels. This study examines the ...difficulties older adult English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners and their instructors encounter within the online learning and instruction framework. To achieve this objective, seven EFL learners over 60 and two English teachers were included as participants in the study. The collection of qualitative data occurred over six weeks during an English course. The objective was achieved by submitting participants' weekly self-reflection reports, interviews with learners and instructors, and the researchers' observations. A content analysis was conducted to examine the qualitative data. The study's findings indicate that learners aged 60 and over have several cognitive and physical obstacles when participating in online English courses. Additionally, they rely on their previous learning habits, potentially impacting their overall learning experience. This study provides insights into the pedagogical implications of teaching English to older adults and recommendations for traditional face-to-face classroom instruction and online learning modalities.
P-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) is a volatile compound commonly used as pest repellent and air deodorant in the home and public buildings, leading to a widespread exposure in indoor environments. There has ...been an increasing concern about its metabolic and endocrine effects. In this study, we explored the relation between p-DCB exposure and serum levels of soluble α-Klotho, an anti-aging hormone, in US adults. A nationally representative subsample of 1485 adults 40–79 ages in the 2013–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed for the association between p-DCB exposure, measured as urinary concentrations of 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), the major metabolite of p-DCB, and serum α-Klotho levels using multiple general linear models, adjusting for potential confounders. Age- and sex-specific analyses were further conducted. The weighted geometric mean of urinary 2,5-DCP was 2.43 μg/L and the weighted mean of serum α-Klotho was 831.97 pg/mL in the study participants during 2013–2016. After adjusting for potential confounders and urinary creatinine, urinary 2,5-DCP was significantly associated with decreased serum levels of α-Klotho (regression coefficient β = −9.88; p = 0.0133) in the total study population. When age- and sex-specific analyses being conducted, a significantly inverse association was found in older adults aged 60–79 years (β = −20.40; p = 0.0001) and in males (β = −13.81; p = 0.0097), but not in the middle ages (40–59 years) and in females. The strongest association was observed in older (60–79 years) male participants, with a 25.43 pg/mL reduction of α-Klotho levels per 1-unit increase of 2,5-DCP concentrations (p = 0.0008). This is the first study demonstrating a relation between p-DCB exposure, measured as 2,5-DCP, and decreased α-Klotho levels in older males. Additional studies would further explore these interactions and elucidate the pathogenesis of the potential effects of p-DCB exposure on aging.
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•p-Dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) is commonly used as mothballs and air deodorants in indoor environments.•p-DCB exposure was found to be inversely associated with serum levels of α-Klotho, an anti-aging hormone, in US adults.•Age- and sex-specific associations were observed, with the strongest association in older males.•A potential role of p-DCB exposure in aging is suggested.•Declined α-Klotho levels might mediate the cardiometabolic disorders associated with p-DCB exposure.
In this study, we examined trajectories of Big Five personality development in the 5 years before and after retirement. Our sample was composed of 690 retirees (ages 51-81) and a propensity-score ...matched comparison group of 532 nonretirees drawn from a nationally representative longitudinal study of the Netherlands. Participants contributed data across a maximum of 6 measurement waves over a period of 7 years. In the month after retirement, participants experienced sudden increases in openness and agreeableness followed by gradual declines in these traits over the next 5 years. Emotional stability increased before and after retirement. The transition to retirement was not associated with changes in conscientiousness or extraversion. Further, we found significant individual differences in development across the transition to retirement for each personality trait but could not identify any moderators that accounted for these individual differences. These results contribute to our understanding of personality development in older adulthood as well as the temporal dynamics of personality change in response to major life events.
The purpose of this study was to examine multiple direct and indirect pathways of the association between older age and mental health through COVID-19-related stress perceptions, meaning in life, and ...forgiveness of situations. Participants were 1,382 U.S. adults who were part of the Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Sciences panel who volunteered to complete a 12 min survey in the spring of 2020. The sample had an average age of 56 years, was slightly more male (55%) than female (44%) or other (2%), mostly White (88%), well-educated (70% bachelors degree or more), and middle-income ($60,000–$75,000 annually). Measures included: COVID-19-related stress perceptions (e.g., concerns about infection, job, lack of necessities), presence of and search for meaning in life, forgiveness of situations, psychological distress, hopelessness, and optimism. A latent mental health variable was created that was comprised of psychological distress, hopelessness, and optimism. All hypothesized direct effects were in evidence, and all but one indirect effect were observed. Specifically, older age was related to better mental health through higher presence of meaning and lower search for meaning. Older age was also related to better mental health through a serial indirect pathway from lower COVID-19-related stress perceptions to higher presence of and lower search for meaning and higher forgiveness of situations to mental health. The proposed model was largely supported and confirms existing theory and research on aging, positive psychological processes, and mental health. Findings also offer new insights on the unique potential role of forgiveness of situations and its theoretical relevance to offending situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study offers a beginning for theorists, researchers, and practitioners to consider the connections between aging and mental health and the intricate interconnections between stress appraisal and positive coping resources that may serve to support it.
Recent studies have suggested that executive functions (EF) predict life satisfaction for older adults. However, the mechanism is not known. By analyzing a sample (N = 3,287, ages 32- 84 years) from ...the Midlife Development in the United States 2, we examined the mediational role of coping strategies in the relation between EF and life satisfaction. Both active coping and behavioral disengagement mediated the relation between EF and life satisfaction, and age significantly moderated the mediational pathways. Specifically, the positive effect of EF on active coping was more pronounced in middle-aged and older adults than in young adults. However, the negative effect of EF on behavioral disengagement was apparent only in older adults, disappeared in middle-aged adults and reversed in younger adults. Our findings underscore EF as crucial cognitive resources that facilitate the adoption of healthy coping strategies, which in turn, affect life satisfaction in middle and late adulthood.
Resilience during old age reflects the capacity to adapt to changes and challenges associated with normative aging and is an important component of successful aging. Belief in the incremental theory ...of intelligence and personality could help older adults maintain cognitive functioning and social engagement, which may further contribute to their resilience. The current study investigated how implicit theories of intelligence and personality affected older adults' resilience and examined cognitive functioning and social participation as two mediators.
A total of 108 older adults aged 60-92 were recruited and completed relevant scales and cognitive tasks. Path analyses were conducted to estimate the expected mediation model.
The incremental theory of intelligence, but not personality, was positively related to older adults' resilience. Both cognitive functioning and social participation mediated the effect of the implicit theory of intelligence in the model without covariates. When background variables were controlled, the mediation effect of cognitive functioning remained significant, while the link between the implicit theory of intelligence and social participation was weakened.
Older adults' implicit theory of intelligence plays a significant role in fostering resilience in late adulthood, especially through maintaining older adults' cognitive functioning.
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